Density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) techniques are used to study proton transfer from an aqueous solution to an Ag(1 1 1) surface. DFT is applied to study Ag-water and Ag-hydronium interactions as well as proton transfer for small systems based on the cluster model. The data gained are then used to adjust an empirical Ag-water interaction potential and to reparametrize an empirical valence-bond (EVB) model, which has been successfully applied for the study of proton transfer to a Pt(1 1 1) surface before. Employing these force fields in MD simulations enables dynamic modeling of the electrolyte-metal interface on a scale large enough to give realistic results. Results from a MD trajectory study on Ag(1 1 1) are reported and compared to the analogous study for platinum. Low discharge rates on Ag(1 1 1) are observed, and the potential range for hydrogen evolution can be estimated. The different behavior relative to Pt(1 1 1) can be traced to features of the respective potential energy surfaces and to the different structural properties of the aqueous/metallic interfaces. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.